JazzMutant has announced a version 2.0 firmware upgrade for their innovative Lemur multi-touch-screen controller. A host of new object features allows users to interact with sound and manipulate it in real time like never before. Workflow improvements, scripting additions and other features allow the controller to be used better, faster and more in tune with some of the most popular software applications around with Ableton Live users, in particular, benefiting from some of the new features.

Enhancements:

Breakpoint object – Offers total control of synthesiser or sampler envelopes with a multi-segment envelope editor to allow you to really get inside a sound, live on stage! Rather than assigning knobs to these sound shapers, jump right in and directly tweak an on-screen representation of the envelope. This familiar, visual interface allows you to see – and hear – exactly how you are changing the sound and you can easily add extra breakpoints with a simple double touch.

Gesture object – This emulates a trackpad control with advanced gesture recognition and has three novel ways to interact with your sound. You can send different control messages to your computer simply by pinching, rotating or tracing your fingers. An example could be with surround sound: rotate to change the source position, pinch to change the source level, and trace to apply some filter to it. Total control in three steps!

Alias – Now you can easily produce a copy or alias of a controller object that sends exactly the same information to your computer. This takes up less memory and is much less time consuming than setting up a new object with identical characteristics. Manipulating the original or its doppelganger can now control the same computer parameters but from different interface screens. Moving one will automatically update its “mirror image.”

Tabbed Container – Containers are virtual panels that contain a selection of controls. Tabbed containers allow you to change the contents of this panel at the tap of a finger. Put all the controls you need for one part of your performance in one tab, then simply push the next tab to reveal a whole new bank with zero hassle. This feature allows you to greatly improve interface layouts.

Mouse and keyboard control – Still finding yourself reaching over to the computer during your live show? Not any more! Now Lemur’s objects can be used to remotely control the mouse cursor or computer keyboard.

Workflow improvements – Setting up your custom performance interface is a breeze with the improved and new-look Jazzeditor. Workflow improvements include the ability to simply drag objects from the new palette into the work area – any custom-made modules from your library will also appear here. It’s now no longer necessary to select a MIDI or OSC target for each parameter within an object – just choose a “parent” target and you’re done. There’s also a new color chooser to make your interfaces visually distinctive.

Extended scripting abilities – A new multi-line script pane opens up a whole new world of possibilities. You can now modify the physical behaviour, appearance or size of an object in real time. Add a ball to a Multiball object by touching a pad, or zoom in on a fader for ultimate precision. These scripts can act locally or be received from the computer. For Ableton users that means it is now possible to receive clip names and colors and display them on the Lemur. Any changes in your Live set are automatically reflected on the Lemur. Now you can really put that computer behind you and concentrate on your performance! Very cool!

The public beta of the V2 firmware update will launched at AES with the full version released before the year’s out. The full update will be free for registered users. More information on the JazzMutant Version 2 Firmware upgrade.

LinPlug has unveiled the RMV, a “Drum Synthesizer, Drum Sampler, Audio Loop Slicer and Drum Librarian” for PC. LinPlug claims the upgrade is the result of many years of investigation and programming and a huge step forward from its predecessor, the RM IV.

RMV includes more than 10,000 individual drum sounds, partly pre-compiled to 340 kits, more than 1,500 pre sliced Audio Loops, mainly from Frank Yenox Neumann, and 2,600 MIDI Grooves, partly from Groove Monkee, plus a 150 page manual in English (soon also in French and Italian). Besides stupid marketing slogans, LinPlug likes bulleted lists, so here’s a partial rundown…

Features:
» Drum Synthesizer
» Drum Sampler
» Audio Loop Modules (Slicer & Player)
» Drum Librarian
» 32-voice polyphony
» Multiple instances of the RMV can be opened
» 48 polyphonic Percussion Pads for the universal or one of the more than 10 specialized Drum Synthesizers or a powerful Drum Samplers.
» Six independent Audio Loop Modules with up to 64 slices each.
» Each Percussion Pad and each Slice features all common and many in depth editing parameters, ranging from Volume, Pan, Output Selection, Tune over Modulation Matrix, LFO’s and Envelopes to Insert Effects and EQ’s.
» Each Pad and Slice can belong to one of 10 Edit Groups (parameters for all Pads or Slices in a Group can be adjusted simultaneously).
» 3 insert effects racks each of which can be set to one of nine different effects units.
» A “Varizer” for unbeaten realistic humanizing.
» Almost all instrument parameters are MIDI controllable.
» Each Sampler module can hold up to 30 samples that can be layered, velocity switched or -crossfaded and with parameters for start, end, delay and more.
» The Sampler and each Slicer also features a pitch and amplitude envelope.
» The Library contains a vast selection of partly multi sampled acoustic and electronic kits, synthesized kits and MIDI (partly from Groove Monkee) and Audio Loops.
» Four specialized “Librarians” offer sophisticated search capabilities and are used for the storage and retrieval of various types of data that the RMV supports: Pads (individual drum sounds), Kits, MIDI Grooves and Audio Loops.
» Samples can be imported using the RMV Sample Browser (supporting favourite folders and pre-listening.
» Samples, Pads, Kits, Grooves and Loops can be browsed while the instrument is playing.
» Each Pad and each Slice has access to three individual Insert Effects, a four band EQ and two out of three Send Effects Racks.
» Each Send Effect Rack can hold up to 3 individual effects and a final four band EQ.
» Each Insert / Send can hold one of these Effects Units: Stereo Delay, Filter-Delay, Reverb, WahWah, Flanger, Compressor, Multimode Filter, Bit Crusher, Gator.
» 6 fully independent Audio Loop Slicers / Players are available.
» Each Audio Loop can have up to 64 Slices.
» Each Loop Player can be used to load and playback audio loops in WAV, AIF, REX and REX2 format. Samples are automatically sliced.
» Slice start and end points as well as automatic slicing sensitivity are user-definable.
» Each slice has vast editing capabilities (like filters, envelopes, modulations, effects, individual output etc.).
» There’s more, but we’re exhausted from bulleting…

LinPlug’s RMV costs €139 – the upgrade from RM IV and RM III will set you back €59. A Mac OSX version is scheduled for release before the year end. More information on LinPlug RMV.